


Whatever It Takes

by Rambert



Series: The Beginning of the End [1]
Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Abusive Parents, Abusive Relationships, Alternate Universe - Pre-Canon, Anger, Angst and Tragedy, Animal Death, Arguing, Arrogance, Bad Parenting, Banter, Betrayal, Canonical Character Death, Claudia features heavily in Chapter 4 cuz I love her, Complicated Relationships, Dark Magic, Disturbing Themes, Drinking & Talking, Drinking to Cope, Dysfunctional Family, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Father-Daughter Relationship, Five Stages of Grief, Gaslighting, Grief/Mourning, Headcanon, Heavy Angst, Loss of Trust, Lovers to Friends, M/M, Men Crying, Missing Scene, Mutual Pining, Near Death Experiences, Negotiations, Old Friends, Plot, Politics, Pre-Canon, Pulling Rank, Reconciliation, Spoilers, Trust Issues, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-22
Updated: 2020-07-24
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:53:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22362898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rambert/pseuds/Rambert
Summary: Archive warning note: character death is canon, but I'm tagging it for spoiler purposes. This fic isn't for people just starting the show.Hypocritical, egotisticalDon't wanna be the parenthetical, hypotheticalWorking onto something that I'm proud of, out of the boxAn epoxy to the world and the vision we've lost-"Whatever It Takes", Imagine DragonsThis can either be read as a sequel to Somewhere A Clock is Ticking, or as a standalone precanon story. But it will use all my HCs from SACIT (including having a different identity for Claudia & Soren's mother, Lissa wasn't known when I started writing this). So if you want the tragic backstory I've created for these two, I recommend checking out that one first so you get the full impact of the emotions being exchanged here. Rating will likely change as new chapters are added.
Relationships: Harrow & Viren (The Dragon Prince), Harrow/Viren (The Dragon Prince)
Series: The Beginning of the End [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1609744
Comments: 12
Kudos: 11





	1. Coronation Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Recently-crowned King Harrow invites Lord Viren to have a drink with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a reminder, Viren is my favorite VILLAIN long before Aaravos arrives on the scene and trumps him, and I'm writing Viren as someone who needs help and isn't getting it and lashes out selfishly out of fear :x if that kind of dynamic is gonna bother you then I've got bad news for ya, the canon of TDP is Viren abusing & manipulating Harrow's forgiving nature and forward-thinking attitude repeatedly. I'm trying to connect the dots is all. To explain why that is in case some people still think their relationship is wholesome. It isn't, but ugh just thinking about that flashbacks in s3 makes me nauseous rn so I'm gonna build up to that instead of just going there now.
> 
> That being said I'm BACK ON MY VIRROW SHIT *crows* 
> 
> So yeah Season 3 has a flashback where Viren and Harrow are on very friendly terms again, even after Sarai's death which frankly is WILD to me. And Season 1 just has them far too chummy for where my original backstory with them had gone so it's TIME TO CHANGE GEARS Y'ALL guess Harrow never got over Viren after all *cackles*

"Ugh, I'm _so_ stiff. D'you want to go grab a beer, Lord Viren?"

"I'd love to," Viren replied, following Harrow out of the stuffy room they'd been standing in for hours for the painting-- and Harrow had _just_ done the one with his family too, so he was especially sore and cranky.

"Good, let's make haste," Harrow said as he pulled his cloak hood up over his locs.

And Viren was just surprised he'd been invited, shocked into stillness only for a moment before nodding and following after his newly-crowned King.

\--

When they arrived at the tavern everyone raised their mugs in a "huzzah!"

When they noticed who was accompanying him, however, the huzzah was not repeated as it usually would be for a member of the High Court. Instead Viren got some mean stares, and even a couple people turning their backs on him-- a clear sign of disrespect. Rumors of his Dark Magic practice had reached the townsfolk by now, and that made sense since he'd been at it for over a year.

However, this treatment was still preferable to being at home with Agatha and their children, now ages eight and five. She didn't like being left alone by herself with Soren and Claudia so often but Viren was already starting to ignore her, just leaving instead of listening to anything she was saying to him.

Deep down he knew she'd probably leave him and take the children if he kept this up but... he didn't care. By now he and Agatha had more than fulfilled the terms of their agreement to one another, and he was growing tired of her.

He'd only wanted to produce offspring to prove to Harrow he wasn't utterly miserable without him (even though he was). Viren didn't even love Agatha, and she certainly didn't love him-- a fact she now made clear to him just about every time they saw each other. They weren't going to stay together forever, and having kids had been her idea. They weren't even married. So she could take them for all Viren cared.

Tonight, he was going to be with Harrow. He'd actually been _invited_. The King must have been in an excellent mood.

"What's on your mind, Viren?" Harrow asked, trying to catch the other man's gaze.

They sat at the bar, each nursing a beer.

"Mmm, nothing," Viren said, shaking his head to dispel his gloomy thoughts.

"Congratulations, King Harrow, I didn't really say it before. You're going to be the best ruler this Kingdom has had in decades."

"...Did you just insult my father?"

The King's eyebrow shot up, but his tone was playful.

"Not at all," Viren replied smoothly, smiling at his first love.

"It's a compliment to you both. He produced an heir who will not only succeed him but _exceed_ him."

"Always the flatterer," Harrow said, laughing.

"But, I know you were lying to me. When I first asked, it wasn't 'nothing' on your mind."

"Ah... you're correct, as usual. I can't hide anything from you," Viren said, ignoring how his friend's eyes grew turbulent at that last part.

"I ah... I fear that Agatha and I are coming to our natural end."

"Natural end? Viren, are you having problems at home?" Harrow pressed, but Viren shook his head again.

"I'd rather not bore the King with my family drama on the celebration of his crowning," he said, and his tone was firm enough that Harrow backed off.

"Okay... well at least tell me how Soren and Claudia are doing?"

"Claudia's bright as ever," Viren answered easily, grateful that his younger child's precociousness always gave him something to chat about with pride.

"She's already reading books from the palace library and asking to join me in my studies but I'm going to wait another year before I do that, so that she won't be so fidgety. She needs to learn patience. And Soren is... doing his best, at school, but the rectoress says he's struggling with reading."

"I could arrange to get him a tutor if you'd like."

"That won't be necessary, but thank you King Harrow."

"He's my god-nephew, you know," Harrow intoned, with gentle authority.

"I'd like to get him a tutor."

Viren turned his head to see Harrow smiling fondly at him... he'd almost forgotten what that felt like.

Even over the past year where their professional relationship had mended completely, their personal relationship had... been awkward, to say the least.

"...Thank you, my King. I appreciate the kind offer, and so will Soren."

"Good. Then it's settled, I'll find one for him in the morning."

King Harrow finished off his own beer, holding up the empty glass for a refill.

Viren arched an eyebrow.

"Not sick of me yet, then? I thought you'd be rushing off to your family."

"Could say the same right back at you," Harrow replied boldly.

"Touché," Viren admitted, and felt his lips curving into a real smile, a rare thing for him these days.

"...Thank you, for inviting me out tonight. I'm surprised you aren't being pulled in a thousand directions at once."

"They all think I'm still getting my portraits done," King Harrow admitted, his smile spreading into a mischievous grin that made him look nearly a decade younger.

"I told the painter to stay out of sight so they won't notice him leaving; that's why I rushed us out."

"The new King of Katolis, sneaking around and shirking responsibilities? How very un-Harrow-like."

King Harrow snorted with laughter at that, prompting Viren's own laugh to bubble out of him.

For a couple magical moments, it felt like they really were young again. How many times had they gotten drunk together at this very bar?

Except they wouldn't get drunk tonight, not like they used to. They were much too old for that now; even this second beer was starting to make Viren's head fuzz over.

"Yes well, maybe I wanted to spend some time with an old friend before I get too caught up in this Kingly stuff," Harrow said, his smile slipping a little.

Viren saw it.

"Um, in case you haven't noticed, we kind of still live together," he said, trying to be joking but suddenly Harrow's eyes looked... pained.

"Do we, Viren? Sometimes I feel like you're so far away even when you're right next to me."

Viren saw that the King's second beer was nearly empty already, and that Harrow was likely tipsy by this point. He wasn't far behind, himself.

"I'm... sorry you feel that way, King Harrow. But just as we stood together for your portrait, I'll stand by you through anything."

"...I know. You saved Sarai's life, I will forever be in your debt for that."

"And you allowed me to... to be myself again," Viren said tentatively, watching for Harrow's reaction.

"Do you regret it...?"

"Do I regret having my wife living breathing beside me? Of course not," Harrow replied quickly, a bit too quick in Viren's opinion, so he pressed on:

"But you think that now I've become an abominable person."

"No, I--" Harrow sighed, frustrated.

"You always want to talk in such black and white terms, Viren, when you know things are more nuanced than that. Obviously I have... revisited my feelings about Dark Magic in the last year. And you have proved yourself capable of... some restraint. So why not let you pursue the beneficial aspects? I don't see any problem with that."

"Good. Thank you for trusting me, my King."

"Don't break it again," Harrow replied candidly in a low tone, and Viren's breath caught in his throat at the look his King was now giving him.

Almost like Harrow couldn't decide whether or not he wanted to punch Viren out or kiss him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And neither one of those things happened that day, sorry y'all lol. Thanks for reading!


	2. The Duren Dilemma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takes place in the middle of the flashback scene from s2 ep5 "Breaking The Seal", between Sarai and Harrow's conversation and them leaving on their journey to Xadia.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes I'm aware it's April Fool's Day but that has nothing to do with today's upload so please don't read into it lol

Harrow left the courtyard winded and defeated in more ways than one.

Sarai had gone off to tend to Ezran and had icily asked that she not be accompanied, a blow that hurt more than her halberd had.

The King had been _so sure_ that Queen Sarai would see this as a good idea that now he was feeling uneasy.

Maybe she had a point... what if the Magma Titan was the last of its kind? Surely that would be seen as an aggression against Xadia even if their cause was righteous...

So it was outside Viren's quarters that Harrow found himself, knocking.

But there was no answer, and with reluctance Harrow's feet found the way down to the dungeon rooms that his old friend had been... renovating, for more permanent use.

Each time he came down here it looked a little more like a torture chamber and less like a research lab, with manacles on the walls and strange instruments. But Harrow never actually saw any suffering creatures, only fully healthy ones in generously-sized terrariums.

So the King had been looking the other way from all this once more, because Viren had started producing elixirs that could cure any physical symptoms so long as they were described in detail to him beforehand.

And that was healing the people... that was good, right?

Viren was more popular than ever now, except with individuals like Opeli who had always harbored a grudge against him since he was caught stealing from the Duren archives.

But now Harrow started to wonder if Opeli was the one he should have trusted all this time, not Viren... Sarai very rarely disagreed with Harrow so vehemently, even while they were sparring.

Her words were ricocheting around in the King's mind as he found Viren bent over a book.

The High Mage of Katolis was muttering something under his breath when Harrow approached, and it wasn't until the King loudly cleared his throat that Viren noticed him there and straightened up, smiling.

"Ah, King Harrow! How did it go with telling Queen Sarai of our plan?"

Harrow's stiff silence said it all, and Viren's face fell.

"So... I take it she didn't like it, then."

"No. Lord Viren... is the Magma Titan the last of its kind?"

"What? Why does that matter?"

 _That's what I said_ , Harrow thought, but he pressed on: "Does it think? Does it feel? Does it have a family?"

"How should I know that?"

Viren scoffed, flustered.

"The books certainly don't mention it. They say it lives alone in the mountains, that's it!"

"But... Viren. What if it _is_ the last of its kind?" Harrow asked, leaning back against the wall and sighing.

"Wouldn't that be considered an act of war? Xadians haven't breached the border for any reason in decades now. Humans haven't either."

"We have a whole night to do this, and the Titan lives in the mountains that form the border so it can't be too far. We can slip in and out before we're even noticed!" Viren protested, stepping closer to Harrow.

"Do you not trust me, my King, to have thought this through?"

Harrow let out a bitter laugh at that. Viren had broken his trust so many times by this point that it was a ridiculous question not worth answering.

"Lord Viren, you're so sure this Magma Titan is a monster--"

"So were you until Sarai questioned you," Viren cut in, and Harrow's eyes flashed in anger though his voice remained level.

"Don't interrupt me, Lord Viren, and you will address Queen Sarai by her title or not at all. Don't you remember when we were kids, and I took you to the palace library for the first time so you could finally look at those Dark Magic texts?"

"Of course I remember that day, how could I forget? It was the best day of my life," Viren said fondly, and Harrow's heart gave a painful twist.

Despite everything and every reason he had to hate the other man, his stubborn love for Viren had never fully faded... but Viren's love for him? Probably never existed at all, if learning Dark Magic was still the highlight of his life.

"Yes, well. I remember I called your Dark Magic drawings 'gruesome', and you agreed with me," the King said quietly.

"And then you reassured me that you were no hunter..."

"...I did say that, didn't I."

Viren sighed, shaking his head.

"But I was naïve back then, my King. Sometimes, sacrifice is needed in order to help the greater good."

"Is it?" Harrow asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"H-- ...my King," Viren began, very softly.

"I know you will be riding with me. Do you think that I would put our lives at risk if I wasn't sure this was the only way?"

Harrow's green eyes looked into Viren's steely blue-greys. And dammit, but Viren really looked like he was telling the truth. At least what he believed the truth to be.

"Of course not," King Harrow answered as his gaze dropped to the ancient symbols on the open book Viren had been poring over.

It was the spell with the Magma Titan heart; he could see from the images of things sprouting and growing all over the pages.

Staring at the drawing, he imagined all the life coming back to Katolis, the winter melting away to spring so that they could have another growing season... they could feed everyone. What was the harm in that?

"I trust you, Viren," he added, almost too quietly to be heard.

"Thank you my King," Viren replied reverently, in a way he _never_ had when they were lovers. 

For a moment it angered Harrow, but the moment passed quickly.

He didn't have time to be disgusted... they had a long and dangerous journey ahead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback on characterization is soooo craved if you have a moment to spare! Thank you for reading~
> 
> Honestly this chapter was super difficult to write because if Harrow loves Sarai as much as one should love their spouse, then there's NO REASON for him to side with Viren over the Titan. Sarai is so right when she says there's no shortcuts and that no quick fix solution can replace decades of hard work. So either Harrow's Virsting or misogynist to not listen to her... I'm gonna go with Virsting cuz it's less painful.


	3. Back from Xadia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takes place during the flashback scene of Season 2 Episode 6 "Heart of a Titan", right after Sarai's canon death (tag updated)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If any part of this chapter makes you uncomfy please see my note at the end. I am not trying to redeem Viren, pretty much the opposite. His relationship with Harrow is abusive and I intend to detail what I perceive from that energy.

After all the hubbub surrounding the Magma Titan heart spell died down, after the crowds dispersed and went home, King Harrow stood in front of the fireplace with Lord Viren.

"It should have been me," he said miserably, feeling tears welling in his eyes again.

He'd been crying the whole way home and still could not stop.

"I'm so sorry," Lord Viren said, his voice rubbed raw with his own grief.

There hadn't been a single dry eye on the journey back. The loss of the Duren Queens hurt, but the loss of Queen Sarai had crushed the spirit out of King Harrow and the entire rest of their party.

He scarcely heard the gasps and cheers of his people when the Magma Titan heart turned the season from winter to summer in seconds, securing food for them and Duren.

All he heard was Sarai's voice ringing in his ears, _there's no shortcut. This is going to be a very slippery slope._

And now Harrow held his crown in his hand, wretchedly thinking he did not deserve it any more. For what kind of King could not protect his Queen?

The chamber doors opened and one of the Crown Guards popped their head in.

"Your Highness. He's waiting for you now," they said, and Harrow wiped his tears away.

"Okay," he sighed, squaring his shoulders as he went to face his stepson to tell him the terrible news.

\--

Viren watched King Harrow go to tell Prince Callum the news of his mother's death, and his heart twisted in sympathy for his oldest friend.

He waited outside, hearing the murmur of the King's voice but not able to discern any of the words. That was fine; this was a private conversation between father and son.

But pretty soon the young Prince began to wail piteously, and Viren had to step away to get some air. Callum's tears were reminding him too much of Claudia and Soren's reaction when Agatha had finally left for good last year.

A few minutes later he realized his feet had taken him to the top of the Wall, the evening breeze warm as the golden sunset bathed the now-splendid valley in final rays of light.

It _had_ been worth it, right? So many more lives saved than lost, it was simple mathematics.

Only... the way Queen Sarai had looked at him right as she was dying, her eyes wide and vulnerable, made Viren almost regret what he'd done. Almost.

Having limited pouch space on his person, Viren had decided to forego any healing supplies in order to double down on offensive spell ingredients, so that he'd be able to use any and all maneuvers against the Titan, or any other Xadian creatures that came their way.

The "last breath" spell that he'd discovered in the Duren Archives last year didn't need a human breath specifically, and Viren had honestly never intended to use his jar that way... he'd hoped to use it on an elf or dragon!

But the way things went, Sarai was in his arms and his satchel was within reach... and Viren was, above all else, an opportunist. He hadn't told the King what he'd done though, and might never. For he needed a unicorn horn to complete the spell, and he'd heard they were nearly impossible to track down.

So Sarai's last breath was sitting in its jar on a shelf down in his dungeon, with Harrow none the wiser.

\--

It had taken nearly an hour for King Harrow to be able to calm down his stepson enough to feel all right leaving his side, after much hugging and nose-blowing and the promise that they would talk more about it later.

Harrow laid Callum down for bed early, singing his stepson a soft lullaby to help him drift off to sleep like Sarai had done. The King's voice was cracked and impossibly sad, but Callum's little body still mostly relaxed hearing the familiar tune again.

Ezran was blissfully ignorant of the loss, being a baby, and had no clue why his big brother was so upset. But one day he'd start asking questions too, and it was nearly too much for King Harrow to bear.

Where was Viren, anyway? It didn't seem right that he be able to hide away from the consequences of his plan.

Harrow went looking for him, and when his quarters were empty he knew Viren was up on the Wall-- it was where the High Mage always seemed to go when upset.

"I knew I'd find you up here," Harrow said, his voice rough from crying with Callum.

"Let's go have a drink."

"Are you sure?" Viren asked, starting to say something more but Harrow cut him off.

"As your King I'm telling you, not asking. We're going to have a drink, right now."

"Of course," Viren stammered after only the slightest pause, and they walked in exhausted silence to the tavern.

News had spread like wildfire through Katolis, and there were already mourners in full display at the pub. However when the King entered, after giving a sobbing "Huzzah" and briefly paying their respects, the patrons stuck to themselves to give Harrow some privacy in his grief.

There wasn't even the usual nasty looks at Viren because the news of _how_ she'd died exactly hadn't gone round yet, and he'd been the one to publicly perform the spell that nourished the kingdom.

So for the moment, Viren's public reputation was the best it had been in years. And King Harrow was far too heartsick to try and talk about what had just happened, not now.

A few drinks in though, and the King couldn't help himself. Now that the absence of his wife was sinking into reality, the anger was rising up hot and fierce with each throb of his aching head from too much crying.

Harrow hadn't even gotten to say goodbye to her body; they had _left_ her and the Duren Queens there to rot.

It was that thought that loosed the King's tongue at last.

"So, Viren. Was it worth it?" Harrow slurred, and turned to look the High Mage in the face.

"If you think I am responsible for Queen Sarai's death, just say it," Viren said wearily, knowing this was bound to happen sooner or later.

"You didn't take _any_ healing items!"

Viren scoffed.

"I already explained the reason for that on the way back from Xadia."

"Yeah, and I'm very much still not over it," King Harrow hissed.

"I tried to accept your Dark Magic thinking you'd _actually_ use it for good when the time came, and look where it got us."

"Three people died so a _kingdom_ could live!"

"But it was _your_ idea. If anyone should have perished, it should have been you," King Harrow said, his tone giving in to the vicious righteous anger pulsing through him.

"Are you saying you wish I had died instead, and been unable to perform the spell to save everyone in Katolis _and_ Duren?" Viren asked, defiant as he glared back at the King.

Who felt the fight leave him as soon as it had come, and sighed painfully. King Harrow's voice cracked when he finally spoke.

"The Viren I knew and loved died a long time ago."

"Did you just invite me here to publicly berate me?" Viren snarled, noticing that several townspeople were listening in at this point and exchanging meaningful looks.

"No," King Harrow replied, shaking his head. "But I think maybe this was a mistake. I should take my leave."

"Fine then," Viren said in a sour voice as he watched the King drop money on the table-- more than enough to cover both of their drink orders plus a hefty tip-- before making a swift exit of the tavern.

"I don't need your charity!" Viren called after Harrow's retreating back, dropping more money on the table for his portion of the drinks before getting up as well.

And when he stumbled out into the night air Viren closed his eyes, breathing deeply and knowing that he couldn't go back to that castle tonight. Harrow didn't trust or care for him any more, that much had been made very clear.

Yes, his children were there. But he'd just been gone on a journey; they could wait one more night to see him.

So it was in a random public field that Viren spent the night, waking partway through to a roaming horse nibbling on the small structure he'd built from dead tree branches and corn stalk husks.

As for King Harrow, he lay awake in his chamber for most of the night, looking at the space on the bed where Queen Sarai would be through a steady flow of tears.

And privately to himself, Harrow wondered if Sarai had been on borrowed time. Ever since Ezran's difficult birth... if these past two years hadn't been just a miracle to have had in the first place rather than owed or expected.

It didn't make him feel better to contemplate that though. Not at all.

Harrow had never told his Queen about Viren using Dark Magic to save her life; they told all the staff that she'd just made a spontaneous recovery. Sarai had never really interrogated him about it but now the truth weighed on his spirit heavier than plate armor.

The moment they'd seen Thunder, Harrow had regretted everything. Regretted his trust in Viren, his belief that Dark Magic could be used for good.

And most of all, he regretted not listening to his wife. Now his sons would grow up motherless because of his arrogance.

"I'm so sorry Sarai," Harrow whispered to the empty space where his Queen should have been, and the King wept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So if it seems like my Viren POV is creepy it's because he is. He's a sociopath thanks to childhood neglect, you can't change my mind. 
> 
> Viren is gaslighting the SHIT out of Harrow and centering himself when it IS kinda his fault Sarai died.
> 
> I think it's quite fishy that he brought a glass effing jar and not any items that could be used to y'know, save someone's life or anything! He thinks about causing pain before he thinks about helping. And this is why he's a VILLAIN y'all. I firmly believe that the only reason Harrow didn't have a huge reaction to this in the canon is because so much time has passed since her death by then-- if he would have found out early on he'd have been livid. And probably would have lost more respect for/trust in Viren sooner and possibly have prevented the assassination of Avizandum. 
> 
> Ok ramble over. Thanks for reading, your feedback is a gift


	4. The Unicorn Hunt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> High Mage Viren and King Harrow are no longer on speaking terms. Claudia accompanies Viren on a dangerous journey to Xadia.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No Virrow in this chapter, but we're gonna get back to it very soon I promise. 
> 
> This is an important scene to show Viren's character development, at least how I perceive it-- he's exactly the sort of terrible dad to take his kid into a war zone and think it's no big deal. He does it in Season 3, and his kids seem eerily seasoned by that age, so-- it had to have started earlier than that, yes? 
> 
> And who else would Claudia have learned that spell from that she used on Soren at the end of Season 2? I'm 90% sure Viren taught that to her, but her process of healing Soren makes it seem like she genuinely doesn't know what to do for him at first when her primary healing spell fails... then in talking to Ezran she appears to remember something buried in her memories. So she definitely knew this spell from her past, and was hesitant to use it knowing its effects on the caster, so much so that she repressed learning it until something really awful happened.

Long months passed where Harrow and Viren did not speak a word to one another and purposefully avoided the other in the Castle. Viren didn't know it but the Royal Guard had orders that he was _not_ allowed to seek an audience with the King... but he never tried.

Relations between the royal family and the High Mage's became quite tense; luckily the children still got along well enough.

King Harrow took pity on them and allowed them to remain living in the Castle, even though if it was up to him he'd throw Viren back behind bars. Unfortunately for him though, thanks to the Magma Titan spell Viren was no longer considered a threat to Katolis, and Harrow would be viewed as a tyrant if word got out that he'd imprisoned the very man who'd saved so many lives.

But as months turned into years Viren became more and more reclusive. He spent more time in the dungeons than out of them, refusing to see anyone, and his children became independent too soon as they were forced to practically raise themselves. 

One day Claudia was down in the dungeon attempting to comfort her father as she had done many times in her twelve short years of life.

"Dad, are you sure there isn't anything I can do to help you? You've been... distant lately," she said sadly, and Viren's sallow face flickered with dim recognition that his daughter was upset.

Perhaps he had been neglecting her a bit lately in attempting to get more research done.

"There is one thing you could do, daughter," he murmured, drumming his fingers on the table he was bent over.

Viren had been poring through old maps and Xadian texts from the Duren archives, trying to piece together the rumors and whispers of life that remained in spite of such a long-standing war.

"I need the horn of a Unicorn."

"You... what? What for?" Claudia asked, her face crinkling in confusion.

Viren frowned.

"I can't tell you that right now. You just have to trust me when I say that it's important."

"...Okay," Claudia said slowly, knowing better than to argue with her father when he was in this kind of mood.

"So where do I find a Unicorn, then?"

"In Xadia, I would assume. None of the human texts I've found show any trace of them in the five Kingdoms."

"...Oh."

Claudia gulped audibly.

"Isn't there... anything a bit less life-threateningly dangerous that your teenage daughter can do to help you out?"

Viren sighed, and gestured to the maps spread out before him.

"Do you think I'd ask you to go alone, child? I'll be with you on the journey; I've been preparing this for months now. But I'll need your help finding the Unicorn. People say they've died out as a species but, I remain hopeful."

"You've... tried before?"

"Of course I have, when you were just a baby. Do you think I'd be asking you now if I hadn't failed previously?" Viren snapped, and when Claudia looked visibly hurt he sighed again, lowering his voice back to a gentler range.

"I'd like you to accompany me on a trip to Xadia, Claudia. Think of it as a father-daughter excursion."

That cheered Claudia right up.

However, fate was not kind to Viren for this rash and impulsive decision to take his young child, however precocious, into battle.

They were scarcely past the Xadian border-- not even to the place where they'd found the Magma Titan-- when Avizandum swooped down upon them.

And it was night! Clearly the Dragon King was wrathful about any human breach to the border now and was watching it more vengefully than ever.

Claudia fought bravely but she didn't stand a chance... she failed to dodge the second swipe from the dragon.

Her horse was killed immediately upon impact; she was nearly as well but miraculously survived. However she was in a bad state, such that Avizandum assumed her dead and focused on Viren instead.

Who used a cloaking spell and doppelganger spell to both disappear, and to lead Avizandum far away from his daughter's body.

For Viren thought she was dead as well, until he heard a gurgled "Dad" that made his insides twist unpleasantly.

"I'm here Claudia," he said, kneeling beside her-- he was only cloaked to Xadian creatures, not humans.

"Dad," Claudia gasped again, and Viren realized her body was... mangled.

 _Just like Sarai's was_ , came a nasty little voice in his head.

She wouldn't last long at all like this.

Viren's mouth hardened into a grim line as he quickly pulled out some supplies from his pouch. With shaking fingers he used a freezing spell to stiffen his daughter's dying body, to stop the inevitable crawl of death upon her spirit. He could heal and unfreeze her when he had the proper ingredients.

"I'm sorry Claudia," he said gruffly as he picked up her frozen body, his own aching from minor wounds.

But he was able to get her onto his still-living horse, and away from the border before the doppelganger spell wore off and Avizandum would realize he was tricked.

Locating a wooded thicket just beyond the Breach on the human side, he hoped it was a good time of year for this... ah, yes.

There were several deer nibbling at fallen milkfruit.

Viren set Claudia down carefully and knelt in the grass, making a 'ck' sound with his teeth and tongue as he held a fruit towards the animals.

The deer watched him curiously; one of the younger ones came over to sniff at him. Viren took a deep slow breath, holding very still as he waited for the baby deer to get close enough...

In his other hand was clenched the magical powder needed to complete the incantation.

Almost...

now!

Viren grabbed the deer by the neck with one hand, and as the other deer scattered he lifted the hand with the powder, beginning to chant.

His eyes glowed purple, and when the incantation was complete a burst of light shot forth from his hands into the deer's body... the deer writhed and began to whimper and bleat in agony.

But a few seconds later it slumped to the ground, dead, and there were giant pulsing balls of pure Dark Magic power in each of Viren's hands; the energy caused a mighty wind to stir around him, scaring all remaining wildlife out of the area. The deer's body withered to ash and swirled up into the whirling currents.

The Dark Mage turned towards his daughter's body lying next to him and the power siphoned into and around her, undoing the Freezing spell before healing all her injuries. The whole process took less than a minute, then the purple light retreated from Viren's eyes as the summoned energy faded.

Claudia began to choke and cough, and Viren stumbled to kneel at her side. He felt a bit woozy from the strength of the spell; he couldn't see it but his face had gone chalky grey, his eyes obsidian orbs. And the white patch in his beard was larger than before.

"...Dad...?"

Thank goodness, her voice sounded like it was coming from whole unpunctured lungs now. Viren exhaled in relief.

"D-Dad... your face!" Claudia exclaimed weakly.

For Viren's eyes were slowly returning to their usual grey, but now they were blending in with his ashen skin.

"It's all right," Viren murmured, attempting to soothe his distressed daughter.

"This is just an after-effect of a major spell, Claudia, it's perfectly normal. You were... very injured, and I had to utilize a powerful incantation to heal you."

"But... we're not in Xadia any more," Claudia said slowly as she sat up and looked around.

"We're back on the human side, aren't we? But we were just fighting Thunder--"

"Please, Claudia, no more questions. I'm very tired and a lot has happened tonight," Viren interrupted in a low voice, and Claudia winced.

Somehow her father's exhausted words hurt more than his mean ones.

"O-of course, Dad, I'm sorry. You should get some rest," she said.

"We both should," Viren agreed, and they pulled out their bedrolls to sleep.

As they did, though, Claudia couldn't help but notice that the little wooded clearing was conspicuously silent. No birds, no wildlife... even the bugs were quiet. She drifted off to the sound of the wind whistling slowly through an empty forest.

\--

Claudia woke several hours later. It had been dawn, now it was midday.

Viren wasn't next to her and at first she panicked not knowing where he was; then she heard a rustling sound amplified by the still nearly-silent grove, and looked to the left.

"Dad, you scared me! It's so quiet here it's almost spooky."

Viren grimaced, and despite that Claudia was glad to see his face gone back to its natural color.

"I apologize, daughter, I did not mean to scare you. I brought back some food we can cook with," he added, showing off a few potatoes he'd unearthed nearby.

"Dad-- can we please talk about what happened in Xadia?" Claudia asked, trying to meet her father's eyes but he was avoiding her gaze.

"I know you said you used a powerful spell but what _happened_? How did you survive Thunder a second time and I don't remember any of it?"

"He went for you first, that's why."

Viren's voice was so quiet that Claudia had to scoot closer to hear him as he set up a small fire ring.

"I'm sorry about your horse," he said, knowing Claudia was fond of her mare.

"She didn't make it. But, using my freezing spell I was able to stop your body from dying long enough to get you here."

"So... where is here?" Claudia asked, still feeling unnerved at the silence around them.

A few bugs had returned, but still no birds or anything else... it was almost like they were being watched, the trees serving as silent sentinels.

"Why did you have to take me here to heal me, Dad?"

Viren answered while not looking up from the fire he was building.

"Do you see those fruit trees, Claudia? They're milkfruit. Deer love that fruit, and will travel great lengths to eat it when it's in season."

"So... then why aren't there any deer here now? There's plenty of fruit left," Claudia noticed.

"Well, I had to use one of them for the spell," Viren said slowly.

"I think the rest of them are afraid to return here and will be for some time."

"You... you had to kill a deer to heal me?" Claudia said, scandalized as she put the pieces together.

"Dad! How could you?!"

"You were _dying_ , Claudia!"

Viren's voice shook, the emotion that he'd been suppressing over nearly losing his daughter finally coming out.

"What was I supposed to do, allow you to die when I knew I could have saved you?"

"No, I-- but I didn't even know you could _do_ that," Claudia sputtered in shock.

"If you have healing powers like this, why couldn't you have saved Queen Sarai and the Queens of Duren?"

Claudia had been very little when all that happened but, she still had grown up hearing stories from all walks of life about Queen Sarai's death by now.

Including the rumors that Viren had been more interested in harvesting dead parts off magical creatures than actually protecting those he journeyed into that dangerous land with... Claudia didn't want to believe that was true, but her father's next words sank her heart like a stone.

"I didn't have any more freezing or healing spell ingredients that time," Viren said heavily, remembering the day Harrow had been angry with him about his lack of preparation.

That had been the last words they'd spoken in years now.

"That was my life's biggest mistake and I will regret it until my dying day," Viren said quietly.

"...Dad..." Claudia's voice had softened.

"It's not your fault they died, I wasn't trying to say that."

"I know you weren't, Claudia," Viren murmured, and when his daughter reached out for his hand he took it and gently squeezed it.

"Thank you for saving me, Dad," Claudia said, squeezing back.

"Just think about all the people you can help now with this kind of Magic, though!"

 _That_ jarred Viren out of his emotional reverie, and he frowned.

"What do you mean, daughter?"

"Well, now that you've practiced it successfully, wouldn't you carry this stuff around with you all the time? So that you can help people avoid untimely deaths and all?"

"I don't have time to be doing all of that," Viren sighed, shaking his head and letting go of Claudia's hand to start the fire with an incantation that mimicked a sparking flint rock.

Claudia looked crestfallen, but was still trying to make the best of a bad situation-- another thing she'd been forced to do so many times already at her young age. Watching Viren put the cookpot over the fire, she rubbed at her face harshly.

"W-well... at least I can tell Soren and Ezran and Callum about how you saved me," she tried, but the angry look Viren gave her nearly made her cry.

"You cannot tell _anyone_ about this, Claudia. _Ever_."

"B-but... why, Dad? Why are you acting like this is a bad thing to tell people about?" Claudia asked, trying to hide her voice's tremor as she blinked back tears.

Soren and Claudia had learned from a young age that showing such emotional weakness only angered their father further.

Viren was brushing dirt off the potatoes before putting them into the cookpot with some water.

"It's not safe, Claudia. You have to trust me on this... if I tell people what happened then they'll take me away from you again," he said, and Claudia's heart leapt to her throat.

"No, Dad! I won't let them!"

"You don't have to do anything except keep this our little secret, Claudia," Viren reassured her.

"We'll say your horse died in an accident and leave it at that. We can have a nice service for her when we get back, would you like that?"

Claudia sniffled, and nodded. But she was still upset at her father brushing her off so easily.

And hours later, as she was riding in front of Viren on his horse on their journey home, she spoke up.

"Dad, if you want me to stay quiet about all of this then you have to at _least_ tell me how you did it," she said stubbornly.

"Claudia..."

"I'm not gonna be a kid forever Dad. What if something happens to _you_ one day? Or Soren, and you're not around?"

Viren sighed, nodding as he relented that his daughter had a point. One day, the tables might be turned and Claudia would need to save _him_.

"Very well, I will teach you the spell. But be warned, this is not to be used unless there is truly no other option. Do you promise, Claudia?"

"I promise, Dad," Claudia said impatiently.

"I really hope I never have to, but since it was used on me I kinda feel like I _need_ to know it."

"All right fine," Viren agreed.

"Can we wait until we're a few days from the Xadian border?"

"Let's go home first, Dad."

"That's my girl."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is getting harder and harder to write the closer I get to the canon so thanks for bearing with me and being patient y'all lol. I am still having fun writing it, I just want to do it at least a modicum of justice so it's taking time.
> 
> If you have ANY character or canon feedback please comment and let me know what you think of this series, it would mean the world to me :)


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